Jean approached the door of Mr. Bell's classroom, knocking firmly. "Hey, it's Jean! We took out the zombies at the door—open up!"There was a pause, followed by hushed voices and shuffling inside. After a moment, the barricade—made up of desks, chairs, and various classroom supplies—began to move, the scrape of metal and wood echoing in the tense silence of the hallway. Finally, the door cracked open, and students began pouring out, their expressions a mix of fear and relief.One of the students, visibly shaken, glanced at Jean and stammered, "A-are they really... dead? Those things?"Jean nodded, trying to keep his voice steady. "Yeah. They're gone... for now."Lucas and Tyler appeared last, each carrying whatever they could find as makeshift weapons. Lucas held a broom handle, while Tyler had what looked like a metal chair leg, his knuckles white as he gripped it. Lucas's face lit up when he saw Jean and the others."Bro, you don't know how glad I am to see you!" Lucas muttered, relief mixing with his usual attempt at looking cool. "This was like some Resident Evil shit in there."Tyler, though quieter, had a faint, unsettling grin on his face. "About time we got some action around here," he said in his usual low tone. "Though, could've done without the zombie infestation."Evan let out a shaky laugh. "Man, I was just glad you guys didn't turn into one of them. Thought we'd have to deal with you on the other side of the door."Lucas shrugged, trying to brush it off. "Nah, I'm too fast for that shit. Those things have no chance of catching me." But the way he clutched his broom handle suggested otherwise.Jean, his voice more serious, gathered the group's attention. "Look, we're not out of this yet. We still need to find Jordan. If he's still in the building, we have to get him before things get worse."Akira stepped closer to Jean, a protective gleam in her eye. "I'll stay with you, Jean. We'll get him together."Evan cast Jean a wary glance, but Jean nodded, grateful for any backup they could get.Ms. Heather, doing her best to stay calm in the chaos, took a breath and addressed the group. "Everyone, stay close and stay quiet. We don't know how many more of those... things are around. Let's make this quick and careful."Tyler's grin widened slightly. "So, what's the plan, fearless leader?" he asked, giving Jean a look that was half-mocking, half-genuine.Jean rolled his eyes but kept his focus. "We're heading down the hall toward Jordan's class. He's probably still barricaded inside if he's safe. Let's stick together and keep our eyes open."Lucas adjusted his grip on the broom handle, his expression steeling. "Alright, let's do this. Let's go find our boy."The group gathered their nerve and moved down the hallway, every step bringing them closer to Jordan—and hopefully, a way out of this nightmare.***As they made their way down the hallway, Jean's eyes landed on the fire emergency box attached to the wall. Inside, behind a pane of glass, was a fire axe—a real weapon, something that could do more than just poke or stab. He looked around quickly to make sure they were clear, then turned to the group."Hold on a sec," he said, stepping over to the box.Lucas's eyes widened. "Bro, what are you doing?""Getting us something better than a broom handle," Jean muttered. He pulled his elbow back and smashed it into the glass. The window shattered with a loud crash, and he quickly grabbed the fire axe, feeling its solid weight in his hands.He took a breath, feeling a surge of confidence with the weapon in his grip. He glanced at Akira, who had been watching him intently the whole time, her gaze fixed and almost reverent."Akira, I need your help with what's next. I can't do this alone," he said, meeting her eyes.Akira's face lit up, a strange intensity in her gaze as she nodded. "Anything for you, Jean," she whispered, gripping her scissors like they were an extension of herself. She stepped closer, her posture rigid and focused. "Lead the way."Together, they moved down the hall, spotting two zombies shuffling in front of Jordan's classroom door. The undead creatures were smeared with dried blood, their vacant eyes staring into nothingness as they staggered back and forth, occasionally bumping into the door, seemingly unaware of their surroundings.Jean tightened his grip on the axe, glancing at Akira. "Ready?"She gave him a small, almost excited nod. "Always."With a swift motion, Jean stepped forward, swinging the axe at the nearest zombie's head. The blade sliced through with a sickening crunch, the zombie dropping to the floor in an instant, blood spraying across the hallway tiles. The sight and sound hit him, but he pushed it aside, moving with a determination he didn't know he had.The second zombie turned toward him, mouth gaping as it lunged. Jean pulled back, preparing for another swing, but before he could, Akira was on it. She lunged forward, her scissors raised, stabbing them into the zombie's neck with brutal precision. She twisted the blades, her face alight with a strange mixture of fury and satisfaction, and the creature collapsed to the ground, finally motionless.Jean exhaled, his heart racing as he looked at Akira. "Good job."She gave him a small, almost bashful smile, though her gaze remained unwavering. "Anything for you, Jean. I'll protect you, no matter what."He nodded, grateful—and slightly unsettled—by her fierce loyalty. Turning back to the classroom door, he knocked sharply, trying to keep his voice steady."It's safe now! We took out the zombies outside. You're good to come out!"There was a pause, and then the door opened cautiously, students peeking out with wide, frightened eyes. They began to file out one by one, whispering thanks and looking around nervously as they hurried past Jean and Akira.But as the last of the students exited, Jean looked around, frowning. Jordan was nowhere to be seen."Wait," Jean said, stopping a nearby student. "Where's Jordan? He was supposed to be in here."The student shook his head, glancing back at the classroom. "I... I don't know. I didn't see him. Maybe he... maybe he left?"Jean's stomach dropped as he exchanged a worried glance with Evan and the others. Jordan wasn't the type to wander off or leave without telling someone. Something felt wrong.Jean turned to Evan and Akira, a determined look settling over his face. "Alright. Jordan's got to be somewhere. Let's keep moving and find him."They stepped into the hallway, steeling themselves for whatever was to come next.Q: Would you look for your friends in this case, or would you try to leave the school?